Trace-carrier



(No Model.)

www @o o www J. W. CRONAN. TRAGR CARRIER.

Patented May 9, 1893.

James W. Cyonan me nofws Permis co.. mom-umn.. vnswlmm'ou4 n. c.

Fries.

PATENT JAMES WV. ORONAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRAC E-CARRI ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,167', dated May 9, 1893.

Application filed June 27, 1892.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. CRONAN, of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Back-Band Hooks, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved backband hook, and consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side-elevation of my improvedback-band hook, applied to a back-band of cottonwebbing. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is an edgeelevation of same, with portion of the chain shown in section. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a modified form of the hook, showing the construction of its upper portion when riveted to aleather back-band, and, Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the hook shown in Fig. 1, detached.

This invention relates to the class of back-y band hooks which are employed to support chain-traces in the commoner styles of harness havinga broad back-band of cotton-webbing, or leather.

My invention consists in a back-band hook having very light trussed, pressure and end bars, 1 and 2, side-bars 3 and 4, provided with journal-bearings 5 and 6 for the journaledends of the tongue-bar 7, a depending guardbar 8 laterally-curved to form a recess 9 and a hook comprising a curved-base 10 proj ecting outward from the lower portion of said guard-bar and curved to form a recess in which the chain-links rest, a vertical post 11, and a tapering-projection 12 extending inward with its free inner end located adjacent said recess 9, located in a plane beyond the outer-surface of said curved guard-bar, and all parts formed solid, of a single piece of metal. A series of two or more tongues 13 having attenuated free ends adapted to readily puncture the cotton-webbing strap 14, in a manner similar to that in which the tongues of an ordinary buckle puncture cloth, and the inn ner ends of said tongues are formed integral with the tongue-bar 7. The trussed pressure bar 1 and the end-bar 2 are made in the form of a truss, and thereby present a bar that is Serial No. 438.110. (No model.)

very light and, at the same time, very strong and rigid. Each of said bars has a straight bar 15, a truss-bar 16 and a short brace-bar 17, which latter is located endwise between the straight and truss bars, forming a very light and stiif construction. rlhe tongue-bar 7 is made very stiff, to prevent bending, and its journals 18 are elevated above the plane of its body, so that the inner surface of said body will lie tlush with the inner surface of the side-bars 3 and 4, thereby locating said parts in small space, and obviating the bulky projection of the cotton-strap at the point where it is engaged by the tongues.4 (See Fig. 2.)

By the above construction I provide a backband hook, which may be quickly adjusted upon the backfband, so as to support the trace-chain links 19 at a greater or less elevation, and permit removal of the hook at any time, for repairs or renewal when worn out.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification, in which the trussed-frame of the hook is replaced by a solid body or base-plate 2O having a series of ears 21 provided with perforations, for the passage of rivets 22, the curved guard-bar S and the other portions being the same as before-described, and being cast, or otherwise formed integral with said baseplate. This latter form is especially applicable to the leather back-band 23; but has not the advantage of being removable and adjustable, as in the former construction.

I will now again refer to the adjustable and removable back-band hook. (See Figs. l, 2 and 5.) The bearing is made with two inalleable lips 24 and 25, or, in other Words, is split The manner of locating and securing the tongue-bar in place is as follows: The opposite bearing 6 is solid, and the journal 1S at one end of the tongue-bar is first inserted iu said bearing (which may readily be done), the two lips 24 and 25 projecting upward, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and having their free outer ends separated some distance, to form a space between them; thon the other journal 18 of the tongue-bar is placed in the space between said lips, and then said lips are turned inward, toward each other (by hammering or otherwise) until they occupy the position in which they are shown in the IOO drawings in solid lines, thus completing the bearing. Were it not for this construction, the tongue -bar would have to be bent or sprunginto its place, which would not be practicable, as said bar in the present case mustbe very strong, and of a peculiar shape.

The operation is as follows: It will be observed, in both constructions, that the tapering horizontal projection 12 extends inward past the outer-surface of the curved guardarm 8, into the recess 9. It will also be observed that there is no guard-bar, or other obstruction, on one side of this horizontal-projection. This leaves a clear and open space for passage of the link into the proper position, and for use in the operation of its removal.

When it is desired to place a link of the chain into position to be supported by the back-band hook, orv when it is desired to place a ringv attached to any form of trace in position, the lower terminal of the strap 14 (or the strap 23) is first turned back and upward, out of the way; then the link 19 is passed into the open space at the right-hand of the Verticalfpost 11, over said post and the hori zontal-projection 12, into the recess 9, and is permitted then to rest in the recess formed bythe outwardly-curved base 10, when it cannot be removed without proceeding in a reverse manner` as the said vertical post 11 will prevent its moving outward, the curved-guard arm 8 will prevent its moving inward, and the horizontal-projection will prevent its moving upward, for the reason before stated.

What I claim is- As an improved article of manufacture, a back-band hook comprising a body provided with means substantially as described for attaching it to the back band, a laterally-curved, depending guard-bar 8, located in the same plane with said body and forminga recess or opening 9 at one side through which alink is adapted to be inserted, and a hook consisting of anoutwardly-projecting member 10avertical post 11 projecting upward from said base, and a horizontal projection 12` extending inward from the post 11 and terminating in rear of the front face of the guard-bar; substantially as and, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature'in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. CRONAN.

Witnesses: j

HERBERT S. ROBINSON, ALFRED A. EIoKs. 

